It is well known that insects in general can cause significant damage, not only to crops grown in agriculture, but also, for example, to structures and turf where the damage is caused by soil-borne insects, such as termites and white grubs. Such damage may result in the loss of millions of dollars of value associated with a given crop, turf or structure. Although there are many orders of insects that can cause significant crop damage, insects, for example, of the order “Homoptera” are of major importance. The order Homoptera includes, for example, aphids, leafhoppers, cicadas, whiteflies, and mealybugs. Homoptera have piercing/sucking mouthparts, enabling them to feed by withdrawing sap from vascular plants. Insect damage from Homoptera is manifested in several different ways, other than damage caused by direct feeding. For example, many species excrete honeydew, a sticky waste product that adheres to plants upon which the insect feeds and lives. Honeydew alone causes cosmetic injury to crop plants. Sooty molds will often grow on honeydew, making food products or ornamental plants look unappealing, thereby reducing their cosmetic and economic value. Some Homoptera have toxic saliva that is injected into plants while they are feeding. The saliva can cause plant damage through disfigurement and in some instances plant death. Homoptera can also vector disease-causing pathogens. Unlike direct damage, it does not take a large number of disease-vectoring insects to cause considerable damage to crop plants.
Thus, there is a continuing demand for new insecticides, and for new acaricides that are safer, more effective, and less costly. Insecticides and acaricides are useful for controlling insects and acarids which may otherwise cause significant damage both above and below the soil level to crops such as wheat, corn, soybeans, potatoes, and cotton to name a few. For crop protection, insecticides and acaricides are desired which can control the insects and acarids without damaging the crops, and which have no deleterious effects to mammals and other living organisms.
A number of articles and patents disclose some substituted benzylamino heterocyclic and heteroaryl compounds that are reported to have pesticidal uses. For example, the Journal of Insect Science, 3:4 (available online: insectscience.org/3.4) reports the effectiveness of some octopamine agonists to suppress the calling behavior of the Indian meal moth, Plodia interpunctella. Included in the studies are compounds of the following structure:
wherein    R is alkyl or two halogen atoms.
Pesticide Science, 55:119-128 (1999), describes the quantitative structure-activity studies of octopaminergic ligands against the migratory locust, Locusta migratoria and the American cockroach, Periplaneta Americana. Included in the studies are compounds of the formulae:
in which    R for formula (AAT) includes benzyl, and benzyl substituted with methyl, trifluoromethyl or one to two halogen atoms, and R for formula (AAO) includes phenyl substituted with trifluoromethyl or one to two halogen atoms.
Pesticide Science, 1995, 43 311-315 describes the quantitative structure-activity studies of some octopaminergic agonists against Periplaneta Americana. Included in the studies are compounds of the formula:
wherein    R is hydrogen, methyl, trifluoromethyl, methoxy or one to two halogen atoms.
Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry (1992), 56(7), 1062-5 describes the synthesis and octopaminergic activity of 2-(substituted benzylamino)-2-thiazolines.
European Journal of Medicinal Chemistry (1980), 15(1), 41-53, describes the synthesis of new “benzyl”-thiourea derivatives and their cyclic analogs with diuretic and saluretic activity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,195,092 discloses 2-(substituted amino)-N-(3-substituted phenyl)-2-imidazoline-1-carbothioamides, useful as insecticides, of the following formula:
wherein    R1 includes phenylalkyl, containing no more than about 18 carbon atoms, in which the phenyl moiety is optionally substituted with from one to three groups selected from C1-C6 alkyl, C1-C6 alkoxy, C1-C6 alkylthio, trifluoromethyl, halo, and cyano;    R2, R3, R4, and R5 independently are selected from hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl, and phenyl;    R6 represents halo, trifluoromethyl, cyano, or 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoroethoxy;    R7 represents hydrogen, C1-C3 alkyl, or halo.
International Publication Number WO 91/05473 discloses fungicidal compositions, compounds, and their production and use of the following formulae:
wherein    R1 and R7 are each independently hydrogen or C1-C3 allyl, R2 is hydrogen or C1-C6 alkyl, R3 and R4 independently, and each R5 independently are hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl, R6 is a cyclohexyl group or a monocyclic or bicyclic aromatic group, substituted with from 1 to 5 groups of the formula R8, wherein R8 is halogen, a C1-C10 alkyl group, a C1-C10 alkoxy group, a tri-C1-C4-alkylsilyl group, or a phenoxy, phenyl, phenyl-C1-C2-alkylene, or phenyl-C2-alkenyene group, each optionally substituted on the phenyl or phenoxy group with one or more of halogen atoms, C1-C6 alkyl or C1-C6 alkoxy groups, trihalomethyl groups, phenyl groups or phenoxy groups. p is 0, 1, or 2, Y is a group of the formula —C(R9R9)n—, wherein n is 2, 3, or 4, each R9 independently is hydrogen or C1-C4 alkyl and X is a suitable counter-ion, together with an agriculturally acceptable carrier or diluent.
There is no disclosure or suggestion in any of the above-referenced patents or publications of the insecticidal activity of the compounds of the present invention against members of the order “Homoptera”. In addition, there is no disclosure or suggestion in any of the above-referenced patents or publications of the structures of the novel compounds of the present invention.